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The school year is starting soon. So now is the perfect opportunity to start planning and preparing for a new year of healthy school lunches. Without a doubt, it’s very beneficial for kids to become involved in the planning process. It is a perfect opportunity to get them excited about nutrition, meal planning and learn how to pack a healthy school lunch box. Furthermore, they are more likely to accept any food changes if they feel that they are part of the whole decision-making process. Set A Healthy Eating Example We all know that children are always watching and learning from everything we do and say. So it is also really important to lead by example when it comes to our diet. When children learn good habits early on they will carry these habits right through to adulthood. Some Things To Consider When Packing Your Childs Lunchbox When considering how to pack a healthy school lunch box. Begin by making a list of some healthy food options together with your child. And just like you meal plan for your dinners, consider creating a lunch plan. You can easily rotate the food choices to avoid boredom or uneaten lunches. Avoid sneaking in new foods in the hope that your child will be tempted to try them. If they are not going to eat it at home then they are not going to eat it at school. What You Can Include In A Healthy Lunch box Fresh fruit Apples Bananas Pears Oranges Grapes Crunchy Vegetables Celery Cucumbers Carrot Tomatoes Capsicum Sugar snap peas or snow peas Protein Lean Chicken Canned tuna Canned salmon Eggs Baked beans Hummus Dairy Milk Yoghurt Cheese Grains Wholemeal sliced bread Wholemeal crackers Bread roll Flatbread Pita bread Tortillas Drinks Tap water, it’s simple and it’s the best option Examples Of A Healthy School Lunch Could Include Sandwich It’s best to choose wholemeal bread and you could add fillings like Cheese, and salad Egg and mayonnaise with some shredded lettuce Sliced cooked chicken breast with pesto and salad Tuna or salmon and salad Chicken and avocado Cheese and tomato Roast beef, cheese, and salad Omelette with slices of tomato and shredded lettuce or rocket These are just a few ideas, you could also add things like leftover meatloaf or meatballs. Instead of using sliced bread why not rotate and include bread rolls and wraps. This will keep lunches more interesting and varied. If you know your child likes condiments then you could include them in moderation and add them to sandwiches or wraps. Some Condiment Ideas Could Include Mustard Pesto Hummus Mayonnaise Chutney Tapenade Bento Boxes Bento boxes are a great way to keep your child’s lunches both healthy and interesting. So you could add things like A small variety of fruit and vegetables Salad such as potato, garden or Greek Salad Crackers or pita bread Dips such as hummus, guacamole, or salsa Dried fruits such as apricots or apples Well cooked chicken, ham, roast beef, or hard-boiled eggs Leftovers Sometimes children prefer things like leftovers instead of sandwiches. For example Leftover spaghetti bolognese Rice dishes like fried rice plain noodles Children will enjoy leftover lunches either hot or cold. Just make sure that you pack these food items safely and correctly. Examples Of Healthy Morning tea, Recess Or Snack Air-popped popcorn Sliced fresh fruit Stewed fruit Carrot and celery sticks with hummus Cheese and wholegrain crackers Rice cakes Dried fruit Fruit bread Corn on the cob Foods To Eat In Moderation Or Avoid Highly processed meats such as salami, ham, devon, pastrami, and mortadella. These cold meats are also high in fat and salt content. For this reason, they should only be included in moderation. Many preschools and schools also have a “No Nut Policy” to ensure the safety of the children who are allergic. Therefore it is important to avoid sending anything with nuts. Avoid giving your child chocolate spreads, honey, or jam as these contain very high amounts of sugar and are therefore very bad for their teeth. Important Things To Remember When Packing A Healthy School Lunch Box Indeed, remember not to overwhelm your child with too many choices. Therefore keep it simple and easy for them so they will want to eat their lunch. Cut up their sandwiches in manageable pieces either in half or quarters Cut or slice the fruit you pack. It is much easier and less overwhelming for children to eat an apple or pear if it is sliced. Just make sure to squeeze some lemon juice to avoid these fruits turning brown and looking unappetising. Avoid soggy sandwiches. A great way to do this is by being mindful of how you prepare them. Firstly, don’t add too many condiments or spreads. Secondly, layer the fillings in the sandwich correctly. Make sure the salad items are always in between the meat and the cheese. If the salad is touching the bread, by the time it’s lunch break the sandwich will be nothing short of a soggy mess. Importantly, if you send grapes please be sure to slice them lengthwise, there have been cases of children choking on grapes. The same applies to cherry tomatoes too! Make sure to pack lunch boxes with an ice brick. This will ensure that your child’s lunch is safe to eat later in the day. The same applies to leftovers. If you plan to send cold leftovers then make sure to include an ice brick. If you want your child to have a hot lunch then make sure to heat the food to a safe correct temperature before it goes into the thermos. These are some ideas and suggestions for how to pack a healthy school lunch box. Another thing you might like to consider is minimising the use of single-use plastic and wraps. This way your child’s lunchbox will not only be healthy but sustainable too! Related Articles How To Pack A Sustainable Lunch Box How To Prepare Your Child For Preschool  

Starting preschool is an exciting new adventure for both you and your child and it marks the next step in your child’s development. Here are a few tips and strategies for how to prepare your child for preschool so that it will be a seamless transition as well as a positive experience for both of you. How To Prepare Your Child For Preschool 1. Talk About Preschool A great way to begin is by getting your child used to the idea of going to preschool. You can do this by having positive conversations and talking about all the fun activities they will be doing. If you can why not walk or take a drive past the preschool about two or three weeks before your child is due to start. That way they will be able to get a clear picture of what the preschool building actually looks like. It’s easier to talk to your child about preschool when they have at least some idea of what it looks like. Of course, if your child is not interested in talking about preschool then it’s best not to push the subject. Try and keep any conversations about preschool short and casual. The last thing you want to do is make your child anxious by making it into a big deal. 2. Prepare Your Child By Visiting Preschool Preschools usually offer orientation days or visits. These are a great way to prepare your child for preschool. Children can spend some time meeting the educators and experiencing some of the activities. Unfortunately due to COVID, this might not be currently possible. Some preschools do however send home orientation packs. Inside these packs, you will find things like photos of the preschool and the educators. You may also receive information about the preschool routine and maybe some songs your children will be learning. So even if you are unable to visit the preschool you can still use these resources to familiarise your child with what preschool is all about. 3. Read Books About Preschool There are many books all about starting preschool and you can spend time reading them with your child. This is a wonderful opportunity to answer any questions that may come up. Books will show them positive experiences about going to preschool and give them some idea of what their day may look like. Here is a list of some books about starting preschool Maisie Goes To Preschool by Lucy Cousins Spot Goes To School by Eric Hill I’m Ready For Preschool by Jedda Robaard The Night Before Preschool by Natasha King and Amy Wummer The Berenstain Bears Go To School by Stan and Jan Bernstain 4. Practice Some Self Help Skills to Prepare Your Child For Preschool When children have good self-help skills it increases their confidence, reduces any stress or anxiety, and very importantly it boosts their self-esteem. So it is essential to give your child plenty of opportunities to practice their self-help skills so they may be able to manage the following things Putting on their shoes and socks Unzipping their backpack Manage their own toileting Be able to open their lunchboxes, drink bottles and unwrap their sandwiches Of course, the educators are always more than happy to assist your child with all of those things. But practicing self-help skills is important to promote children’s independence. 5. Purchase Preschool Essentials With Your Child Another useful thing to do to prepare your child for preschool is to take them with you when you buy things like backpacks, lunch boxes, and drink bottles. Many lunch boxes are way too difficult for small fingers and this also applies to drink bottles as well. So consider taking the time to make sure you buy the right lunchbox and drink bottle so that your child can open them easily. Their preschool day will be so much happier if they are able to open and close their own things! 6. Label Everything There are so many labelling options from fancy-designed labels to good old permanent markers. Whichever one you choose is fine as long as you remember to write your child’s name on everything they will be bringing to preschool. Things like backpacks, hats, lunch boxes, drink bottles, spare clothes, and sheets and blankets. It’s also a good idea to show your child where their name is. It will make them familiar with their name as well as avoid confusion in case there is another child at preschool who owns the same or similar item. 7. Have A Good Bedtime Schedule Another important way to prepare your child for preschool is by making sure they are well-rested. Those first few weeks of preschool can be so exhausting for them so it is essential that they have a good bedtime routine so they get sufficient sleep. You really want to avoid a tired cranky child who will find it a struggle to get through the day. How To Prepare Your Child For The First Day Of Preschool Try and make sure you and your child wake up early enough so that the morning isn’t a stressful rush. Prepare your child some breakfast and encourage them to eat. Sometimes nerves may get in the way of appetite but try and make sure they have the opportunity to enjoy a healthy breakfast. Pack a simple lunch your child is familiar with and keep the choice of food to a minimum. Young children will become very easily stressed if they are faced with too many choices. Pack your child’s backpack together so they know exactly what they are taking to preschool and they know where their things are inside their backpack. Saying Good-Bye Stay For A Short Period Of Time On the first day, you may want to stay for a little while. Try and make sure it is no longer than 10 to 15 minutes. Perhaps you could do one activity with your child and then say goodbye. Ask the educators to support your child if you see that